Tag Archives: Buyers and Sellers Exchange

Lawsuit filed by Quinn Fisheries and Blue Harvest Fisheries against Carlos Rafael’s trustee and three arbitrators

Quinn Fisheries and Blue Harvest Fisheries filed a lawsuit last week against Carlos Rafael’s trustee and three arbitrators, alleging they are blocking a multimillion-dollar transaction of vessels and permits that was scheduled to happen April 16. The permits are for scallops and multi-species fish. The fishing seasons have already started or will soon start and because the transaction cannot be finalized, Quinn Fisheries and Blue Harvest state they will experience serious and irreparable financial harm. According to the 19-page complaint, Quinn Fisheries planned to transfer certain vessels and permits to Blue Harvest, and then purchase vessels and permits from Blue Harvest. >click to read< 11:08

Carlos “Codfather” Rafael settlement rankles local fishermen

By the start of the new fishing year on May 1, Carlos Rafael, once owner of one of the largest fishing fleets in the country and known as the “Codfather” will officially be little more than a memory on the New Bedford waterfront. According to his attorney John Markey, Rafael will have sold off all of his fishing empire as part of a settlement agreement with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and will be out of the fishing industry forever. >click to read< 20:32

New Bedford seafood auction stops sale of Rafael’s boats to Blue Harvest

The fate of Carlos Rafael’s groundfishing vessels is still uncertain, with companies jockeying to get their hands on what’s left of the Codfather’s fleet. According to the CEO of Blue Harvest Fisheries Keith Decker, the company signed a purchase and sale agreement for Rafael’s groundfish vessels, but the agreement was subject to a 30-day Right of First Refusal Period, allowing other members of Rafael’s former sector a chance to match or better the bid. Buyers and Sellers Exchange (BASE) exercised that right, Decker said, “We were notified by Rafael’s attorney on Friday evening.” >click to read< 22:15

SouthCoast Woman of the Year: Canastra’s drive helping keep groundfishing alive

Among the grizzled lifelong fishermen sat six-year-old Cassie Canastra. She staked claim to the seat toward the right side of the second table in the small room where thousands of pounds of fish were auctioned off each day. Her spot faced the television and was the closest to the sweets brought by her father, Raymond. Her pastry of choice: Malasadas. “She knew I was going to go to the Portuguese bakery before work. She wanted that,” Ray said with a loud chuckle. “That’s the truth.” The malasadas certainly didn’t deter her from begging her parents to wake hours before sunrise to arrive at the Buyers and Sellers Exchange seafood auction for 4:30 a.m. >click to read<11:56